Mèze (; ; ) is a commune in the

Hérault Hérault (; , ) is a departments of France, department of the Regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southern France. Named after the Hérault (river), Hérault River, its Prefectures in France, prefecture is M ...

department in southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. Its inhabitants are called .

Geography

Situated on the étang de Thau, Mèze shares with Bouzigues its historic role as the

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but no ...

capital of the area. Almost a third of its inhabitants depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood. In recent years, tourism and transport have become increasingly central to the local economy. Map commune FR insee code 34157

History

An important port since

Phoenicia Phoenicians were an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syria, Syrian ...

n times, Mèze has always primarily been a fishing town. During the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, the town lay on the main Southern route from Italy to Spain - the '

Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...

'. The Romans brought wine to the area and left a legacy of architecture including two of the town's churches. The production of shellfish, especially oysters, has been the mainstay of the Mèze economy for almost a century and the whole Bassin de Thau area has built an international reputation for the quality of its seafood.

Administration

Population

Sights

* Old village center * Port Mèze: both a working fishing harbor and a port for recreational boating. * ecological site * ''

Dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic Geological period, period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the #Evolutio ...

Plain palenthology museum. * Eglise Saint Hilaire * La Chapelle des Pénitents (12th century) * Le château de Girard (end of 17th century) * Remains of city walls * St-Jean-de-la-Garrigue, former parish church, built in romanesque style.

Personalities

* The French

Arabist An Arabist is someone, often but not always from outside the Arab world, who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and Arab culture, culture (usually including Arabic literature). Origins Arabists began in Al Andalus, medieval Muslim ...

and historian André Miquel was born in Mèze. * Singer Pierre Vassiliu lived for many years in Mèze. * Singer Christian Delagrange lives in Mèze.

Festivals

* Music Festival (annual), * A festival of traditional ''Boat Jousting'' is held each summer.

Traditions

*The legendary has become the animal symbol of the town. *The ball game.

References

External links

Website of panoramic photos of Mèze and its region
Official site

Festival of Thau
Communes of Hérault {{Hérault-geo-stub